Only ~1% of LinkedIn's more than 260 million users actively share content on the platform. This is a huge opportunity!
LinkedIn only continues to grow in popularity as the primary professional network with over 50% if US adults with a bachelor's or advanced degree are LinkedIn users.
While businesses create branded content for LinkedIn, so should individuals. We are each our own brand and our personal LinkedIn pages are great ways to share professional points of view and additional value for our network.
Here's what you'll get in this article:
The LinkedIn Content Experiment
At the beginning of 2024, I came across a grid of 20 content ideas for LinkedIn Personal pages and decided I would give them a try and write about it. Some were easy to write, and others were tough.
By now, most people are probably aware that consistent and "on-brand" content from a person or company gets rewarded on social platforms, LinkedIn included. There are so many types of content you can try, but what if you don't know what your audience is interested in hearing from you?
This list of LinkedIn content ideas is a great starting point. To show you how easy it is to come up with these for yourself, I'll share mine as examples.
My metrics will be modest because I have never built a significant presence on LinkedIn, so hopefully this is relatable for everyone reading this.
My goal for you is to surpass my metrics and leave me in the dust! So happy reading and happy creating!
Basic Best Practices for LinkedIn
Overall, I tried to include a few of the top best practices for LinkedIn content. So, you will notice that my content
Uses personal experiences with some stories.
Is primarily text based because text only still performs best on most people's profiles.
Has a combination of links (to long form blog posts to get more information) and no links across posts.
Alternates between short and long form content.
Includes tags of other people when relevant.
Up until this point, I have not consistently posted content to my LinkedIn personal page. My general philosophy is to prioritize client work and when clients have questions, I share the information directly with them, rather than publicly on my profile. So, this is a true experiment.
My goal is to understand what my followers are interested in learning from me. If you are thinking like a businessperson, your next question will likely be, "how do I measure that?".
LinkedIn Metrics and What They Mean
There are 2 primary groups of metrics: demand generation and demand conversion. Ultimately, every piece of content we create should have some business goal in mind. Either we want to attract and "sell to" new people or sell more to existing people. The primary benefit of social media platforms is to reach a larger audience/network.
LinkedIn Demand Generation Metrics
Demand generation is all about creating awareness and building credibility. Therefore, the first set of metrics we look at involve how many people are seeing our content (i.e. reach or impressions) and how many people indicate they want to see more of our content (i.e. follows and likes).
Reach =
Impressions =
Follows =
Likes = highest level of interaction with a post
We should also consider shares as a demand gen metric because when people share our content, we are visible to more people. The goal of demand generation content should be to create "shareworthy" pieces that add so much value for others that they want to share it with their own network. That is considered the gold standard for awareness driving (or demand generating) content.
LinkedIn Demand Conversion Metrics
When our business goals are demand conversion, we want people to consider us, engage with our content, and ultimately take some action. Examples of specific metrics we use to measure demand conversion include
Engagements (i.e. Likes, comments, and shares) = all engagement-based actions people can take with posts that get included in the engagement count and the engagement rate.
Engagement rate = the rate at which engagements are made relative to the number of people who see the post.
Conversions = the number of times someone takes an action like clicking a link, filling out a form, downloading a file, etc.
Conversion rate = the rate of conversions to total interactions (clicks or impressions depending on the type of content)
Leads = the number of people who have indicated active interest by taking an action of some sort (i.e. trading their personal contact info for something of value with the understanding that you will contact them about a future sale).
The metric you consider for each post depends on the call to action you use and your desired action by consumers.
LinkedIn Experiment Takeaways You Can Steal for Your Own Page
There are so many nuggets to try throughout this post. But if you are looking for a snapshot of where to start, here you go:
Start with what is working for others and what feels the most natural for you. You want to post consistently but also in line with your personal brand.
Post regularly! This means you should come up with a list of ideas of topics you would want to talk about and then use a few each week to create value-focused posts.
LinkedIn is professional, so keep your content professional. Most of the time, people are looking to learn something on LinkedIn. So be sure to share content that has a clear possible value.
Focus the majority of your energy on writing the hook for each post. The first few words are the most important part of your post because it is what is visible and how people decide if they should engage with it further. Mic-drop statements are an excellent way to capture attention. Here are a few hook ideas to get you started:
Share a shocking stat
Share a slightly controversial opinion or point of view
Make a prediction
Ask a relevant/thought-provoking question
Call out who you are talking to
Focus on creating text-based posts that are engaging - prioritize working smarter, not harder.
Reply to every single comment made on your posts! This helps with engagement.
Check out the full experiment details below for more ideas!
Deep Dive: LinkedIn Content Ideas in the Experiment
Some of these are posted already and you will see links to the live post to check it out for yourself. The rest are idea I will use in the coming weeks and months, but I outlined them for you here.
1: Discuss a recent industry news or research study and provide your perspective on its implications.
I selected a hot button item: layoffs and how they impact marketers and what you can do about it. I share notes for business and for marketers.
Details:
Posted Tuesday, January 16th at 10am
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Here's a deep dive into the analysis of this post. Notice how the metrics build over time and how long it takes to see complete results of the post. LinkedIn is not an immediacy network so be patient with your results.
Content Analysis (for this post I keep up all past metrics so you can see the projection, but for the remaining posts I will use only the relevant overall metrics):
Day of stats (1/16/24): The post has been up for 7 hours and
We are at nearly 600 impressions, but only 1 reaction.
My professional profile received 3 new views today.
There can be any number of reasons for lower engagement. Ultimately, it means that the people who were served this post did not find it valuable or interesting for them.
1 week out stats (1/23/24): As of 7 days later, the post is at 1018 impressions, 2 reactions, and 7 click throughs. My page has also received 12 new profile views.
2 weeks out stats (2/5/24): 1243 impressions and 4 engagements.
1 month out stats (2/16/24): 1286 impressions, 5 engagements (4 reactions and 1 repost).
2: Share an inspiring story or anecdote about a valuable lesson or principle in your field.
Here I also use a controversial idea for some but I think it is valuable so I took a risk that some people would be triggered by the post. The principle I chose is the customer is always right.
Details:
Posted Thursday, January 18th.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis (updated each time this post is updated):
673 impressions and 6 engagements.
3: Offer a step-by-step tutorial or guide that addresses audience pain points.
I talk about something that is not sexy but is wildly useful: social and site audits! It’s where I start for all my clients’ sites and my own so I take the opportunity to link the audit guide I built too: Transform Your Website Shortcut: The 5 Step Mastersheet | BOM (thebusinessofmarketing.co)
Details:
Posted Tuesday, January 23rd.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis (updated each time this post is updated):
1020 impressions and 6 engagements (3 reactions, 1 comment, and 2 shares).
4: Reflect on a book or article that impacted your professional growth and share key takeaways.
I chose Someday is Today by Matthew Dicks. I just finished reading this book and it was fantastic.
I could go on and on about how well written this book is, but here is the gist of it.
He writes clearly and simply and packs in interesting stories to convey his points. He speaks from experience and shares personal tips that work for him. He also shares the why, which I find helpful.
I've already started using a few of the techniques he suggests and so far they are all working. Head over to my post on LinkedIn to see what those tips are and why they work!
He (and this book) has also inspired me to start writing again. I truly can't say enough good things about it. The next book I just opened is another Matthew Dicks work called Storyworthy.
Details:
Posted Thursday, January 25th.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis (updated each time this post is updated):
455 impressions and 4 engagements
5: Challenge a specific norm in your field by sharing your POV about it.
I chose a controversial topic to try to inspire people to think critically and hopefully share their thoughts! While an interesting post, this did not inspire comments.
Details:
Posted Monday, January 29th.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis:
335 impressions and 5 engagements.
The longer format with paragraphs did not seem to inspire impressions or engagements.
6: Highlight a recent industry event or conference you attended and share takeaways or memorable moments.
The annual Consumer Electronics Showcase (CES), produced by the Consumer Technology Association, while not necessarily designed for marketers, contains many topics that directly impact or relate to marketing and/or life in general. It is probably one of the most valuable conferences if you are in an industry that uses, is impacted by, or directly engages with technology. So…that is pretty much everyone.
I followed along remotely and tuned in when I could. So, I wrote a short post about a few of the most relevant takeaways that will impact that work I do with my clients.
Details:
Posted Wednesday, January 31st.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis:
248 impressions and 3 engagements.
Again, the longer paragraphs do not seem to be working for people.
7: Discuss a mistake you made and how you learned from it.
I used a personal experience that is also widely helpful for all marketers.
Details:
Posted Thursday, February 1st.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis:
289 impressions and 3 engagements (2 reactions and 1 comment).
8: Share a recent accomplishment to showcase your expertise and success.
I chose to write about a client website project and then link to a mini case study that dives into more detail about it.
Details:
Posted Tuesday, February 6th.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis:
1594 impressions and 16 engagements (11 reactions, 4 comments, and 1 repost).
9: List the top three tools or resources that help you be more product or efficient.
The most helpful posts I could think of for this provided the most basic materials that get me through my day.
Details:
Posted Tuesday, February 13th.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis:
286 impressions and 4 engagements (2 reactions and 2 comment).
10: Interview an industry expert or influential figure and share valuable insights from the conversation.
Rather than interview someone specifically, I used this as an opportunity to compliment a recent partner and hype of their business.
Details:
Posted Thursday, February 15th.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis:
473 impressions and 9 engagements (7 reactions and 2 comments).
11: Share a positive customer testimonial to build credibility and trust.
We are fortunate to have many happy clients who have expressed their support for our work with them. For this post, I pulled from our existing testimonials and then linked to where they live on the site: Clients | BOM (thebusinessofmarketing.co)
Details:
Posted Tuesday, February 20th.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis:
472 impressions and 6 engagements.
12: Offer career advice or tips for people starting out in your industry.
I shared some of the best career advice I've ever received and a little extra context about why it matters.
Details:
Posted Thursday, March 1st.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis:
490 impressions and 7 engagements.
13: Debunk common misconceptions or myths in your industry.
The Myth I chose is "Content Creation is Hard and Takes More Time Than We Have". This also gave me an opportunity to link to a great tool I created to help people overcome this feeling. Create12 Weeks of Content in 12 Minutes | BOM (thebusinessofmarketing.co)
Details:
Posted mid-March.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis:
598 impressions and 10 engagements (7 reactions and 3 reposts)
14: Repost another thought leaders' content with your own two cents.
There are many intelligent people posting great content. Find someone who inspires you and repost one of their pieces that you agree with. The trick here is to make sure you add value with your repost.
Details:
Posted May 29th.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis:
563 impressions and 3 engagements.
15: Share an infographic or data visualization related to an industry topic or trend.
Details:
Posted June 4th.
See my post on LinkedIn here.
Content Analysis will be added by June 14th:
16: Share a unique process or approach that sets you apart from others in your
I would use my BOM Method because it is the propriety process, I created. All good marketing starts with a clear strategy that is built from detailed knowledge of your customer, what they value, and what their unique pain points are. If you work with me, you will hear me relentlessly repeat that all decisions need to be made from the perspective of the customer and our end goal. What do we want them to do? Why do we want them to do it? And what do they value you most from us that will convince them to do what we want (i.e. to spend their money with us)?
This is not an easy way to think, or everyone would do it. That being said, there is a simple process to use that produces good marketing with a clear strategy, plan, and the ability to track your progress. I call it the BOM Method because it works, and it directly supports your business. See my post for the outline of it (when it is live). But to know the details of how to apply the BOM Method, we'll have to work together.
When I post this, here's what I will be looking for with a content analysis:
Did my hook work to get people to read (impressions)?
Was my CTA or CVA impactful enough to get people to click or comment?
17: Collaborate with other thought leaders by creating a joint piece of content.
This one was the most fun to write. I worked with one of my clients to outline how to make sure a brand photoshoot gets the exact images you need for your business! There are a few points to note on how and why I chose this particular person.
Content creation is a substantial component of marketing. To be a good marketer, you need to be an organized and effective planner, comfortable with analytics, and a strong writer with the ability to craft a story through a variety of mediums. One of those primary mediums is visual assets. I have found that having a go-to Photographer and Videographer that you trust and work well with is key.
So, for this post, I chose a local Pittsburgh Photographer who is outstanding to work with and absolutely brilliant behind the lens. We will create a checklist that every business owner, marketer, and entrepreneur should use when they are planning a photoshoot for their brand.
When I post this, here's what I will be looking for with a content analysis:
Did my hook work to get people to read (impressions)?
Was my CTA or CVA impactful enough to get people to click or comment?
18: Show your appreciation to the people who influenced your journey and the lessons you learned from them.
I will choose to talk about my favorite boss. He is well worth an entire post. He was fantastic to work for, inspired us daily, and is a genuinely good human. He is also a brilliant marketer that I am lucky enough to still keep in touch with to this day.
When I post this, here's what I will be looking for with a content analysis:
Did my hook work to get people to read (impressions)?
Was my CTA or CVA impactful enough to get people to click or comment?
19: Share a BTS of your work process or a project you’re currently working on.
One of the main functions of my job is assisting clients with capturing and communicating value on their websites. So, I would do a walkthrough of a landing page optimization project. The particular project I have in mind was for a successful photographer who does brilliant work but was not quite communicating her value on her site. I will likely create this in a video format to show the before and after of the landing pages.
When I post this, here's what I will be looking for with a content analysis:
Did my hook work to get people to read (impressions)?
Was my CTA or CVA impactful enough to get people to click or comment?
20: Share your experience related to a common mistake within your industry and how you overcame it.
This seemed like a repeat of #7 so pop up to #7, posted Feb 1, and check out one of the common mistakes marketers make that I also made early on in my career.
A Few Other Ideas for Good Measure
There's an endless amount of content we can create. As I was writing this, there were a few other LinkedIn post ideas I came up with that I could schedule out later include:
Getting overwhelmed with content creation.
Overcoming writers block (or general content creation block)
Tackling SEO successfully (although for this one I would like want to highlight a partner I work regularly with)
Feeling comfortable with having and voicing a Point of View
Missed opportunities for conversions
Overcomplicating website creation and page updates
How to identify your target audience
What is a unique value proposition and to use it
If this sparks any ideas for you or if you have any questions about this work, drop a comment below!
What's Next for Your LinkedIn Content Strategy
If you made it to the end of this post, you are one of the committed few who will likely succeed at anything you set your mind to! Try creating some of these posts for yourself and get clear about what business goal you are attaching to each piece of content. If you are building up the brand that is you, then consider what you want people to do with your content.
Do you want them to comment on your post?
Do you want them to share your post?
Do you want them to consider hiring you?
Etc.
If you have questions or are struggling to kick off your own work, you can always set up time with us to chat. Book a free strategy session here.
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Author: Julianna Francesca, Founder of The Business of Marketing
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